Book ends



Sept. 3, 1968 R. E. BASCOM 3,399,782

BOOK ENDS Filed Feb. 6, 1967 RAYMOND E. BA SCOM I N VENTOR.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent Office 3,399,782 BOOK ENDS Raymond E.Bascom, P.0. Box 585, Keene, Tex. 76059 Filed'Feb. 6, 1967, Ser. No.614,225 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-43) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of bookends between which a row of books are held by means of a length ofinterconnecting elastic. As books are added to or removed from the rowof books the elastic is extended or retracted. An arrangement of rollerswithin recesses in the walls of the book ends enable the length ofelastic to be folded upon itself so as to increase its extensiblelength. In addition, the vertical member and the base of each book endare detachably interconnected so as to provide a collapsibleconstruction for storage or shipping.

This invention relates to book ends and has reference to that type ofconstruction wherein elastic is used for extending and retracting theends as books are added to or removed from the row of books supportedthereby. Particularly, the invention is directed to an arrangement ofrollers within the book ends whereby the length of the elastic may befolded on itself so as to increase its extensible length. Generally,this is accomplished by providing at least one recess in each book end,mounting at least one transverse roller in the recess at a distance fromthe corner of the base and the vertical member, fastening an end of theelastic in the cavity at or near the referred to corner, positioning theelastic over and around the roller and connecting the remaining end ofthe elastic with the other book end where it is similarly mounted.

In addition to increasing the extensible length of the elastic for thepurpose stated, it is an object of the invention to provide a simplifiedconstruction as compared with adjustable book ends having springactuated rollers for drawing the ends together.

Another object is to provide, in addition to the foregoing objects, acollapsible construction for storage or shipping.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a pair of book ends according to theinvention supporting a row of books.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom of a base and theinner face of a vertical member and showing a preferred arrangement ofelastic for the described purpose.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the constructionillustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing a modified form ofthe invention.

FIGURE '5 is a broken front elevational and partly sectional view of afurther modified form of the invention, and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the form of the 3,399,782 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 invention illustrated in FIGURE 5 and showing the same incollapsed position.

Referring now to-the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l-3,each of the pair of book ends includes a square or rectangular base 10and a similarly shaped vertical member 11. The outer face of eachvertical member 11 is rabbeted along its lower edge at 12 to receive theinner end of the adjoining base 10 where the two are detachably securedby screws 13. Elongate recesses 14 and 15 in the inner face of eachvertical member 11 and the bottom surface of each base 10, respectively,and between their respective sides, intersect at the corner defined bythe member and the base. Within the upper and lower ends of the recesses14 of the vertical members 11 there are transverse shafts 16 on whichrollers 17 are mounted for free rotation. Similarly, there is anothershaft 16 and roller 17 in the outer or remote end of the recess 15 ineach base 10. The shafts 16 are inserted in transverse slots 16a asshown in FIGURE 2. A length of elastic 18 is attached at one end, as bya staple 19, to the inner surface of the lower recess 15 near the cornerof the base 10 and vertical member 11 of one book end, and then extendsupwardly over the upper roller 17 in the recess 14, downwardly andaround the corner roller, thence over the roller in the base and thenback along its length to the other book end where it is mounted in thesame manner. A length of cloth tape 20 is attached by staples 21 to thebottom of each vertical member 11 to retain and guide the elastic 18.The elastic 18 is of such length that it is in tension at all times,that is, even when there are no books 22 between the vertical members11.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 4 is similar to theforegoing, except the recesses 14 and rollers 17 in the vertical members11 are eliminated. Instead, there is a transverse slot 23 in the bottomof each vertical member 11 Where the end of the elastic 18 is attachedby a staple 19. As before, the length of the elastic extends over theroller 17 in the recess 15 in the base 10, back along its length and outthrough the slot 23 to the companion book end, not shown, where theremaining end of the elastic is mounted in the same manner. A tape 20 isstapled or otherwise attached across the slot 23 to retain and guide theelastic 18.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 has to do withmeans for quickly and conveniently compacting either described form ofthe invention. FIG- URE 5 is applicable to either form, but FIGURE 6 isspecific to the first described form. Instead of the screws 13, a pairof dowels 24 project from the end of each base 10 and are received incorresponding sockets 25 in the vertical members 11. Thus, the verticalmembers 11 may be folded on their respective bases 10, with the elastic18 serving as hinges, and then the two book ends may be stacked as shownin FIGURE 6.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shownand described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pair of book ends wherein each book end is comprised of a basemember and a vertical member defining a corner by intersection of theirlower and inner surfaces, a longitudinal recess in one of said membersperpendicular to said corner and extending through said corner, a freelyrotatable roller transversely mounted in said recess and spaced fromsaid corner, a length of elastic connected at one end to said book endadjacent said corner and extending over said roller and thence from saidbase member to the other said book end.

2. A pair of book ends as defined in claim 1 and wherein said recess andsaid roller are in the base member of each pair of book ends, alongitudinal vertical recess in each vertical member, upper and lowerrollers transversely mounted in each said vertical recess, the last saidroller being located adjacent and inwardly of said corner, and whereinsaid elastic extends upwardly, over and around said upper and lowerrollers.

3. In a pair of book ends as defined in claim 1 and 15 wherein said basemembers and said vertical members are demountably joined at theircorners by dowels projecting from like members and received in socketsin the other members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 593,758 11/1 897 Alden 211431,395,825 11/1921 Hoffman 21l43 1,876,346 9/1932 Riddel 211-43 2,096,63410/ 1937 Gilbert 21143 2,134,606 10/1938 Hackworth 10861 XR 2,284,849 6/1942 Schreyer 211-43 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner;

ABRAHAM FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner.

